Loyola law professor joins Obama administration

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Loyola University New Orleans College of Law professor Robert Verchick has been selected to become the deputy associate administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation.

Located in the Office of the Administrator, OPEI is the main policy arm of the EPA, which manages the agency-wide rulemaking process, reviews final policy analyses and oversees the testing of new and innovative approaches to environmental protection.

Verchick will join the Washington D.C.-based staff of nearly 200 experts in the fields of regulation, policy, economics and business on Oct. 19 and serve there for a minimum of 12 months.

Verchick, an expert in environmental law, will report to EPA Associate Administrator Lisa Heinzerling, who in turn reports to EPA administrator and New Orleans native Lisa Jackson.

Verchick said he looks forward to working with Jackson to develop environmental policies that are strong and fair.

“I’m honored to be working with Jackson’s team at the EPA. She has brought tremendous energy to the agency and is ready to tackle even the toughest environmental problems, including many that affect us here on the Gulf Coast.

“OPEI handles a wide variety of issues, from climate change to water pollution to environmental justice,” Verchick said. “The responsibilities are large, but exciting at the same time.”

Verchick holds the Gauthier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in Environmental Law for the university and plans to return to teaching at Loyola when his responsibilities with the EPA end.

For more information, contact James Shields in the Office of Public Affairs at 504-861-5888 or publaff@loyno.edu.